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A Deadly Migration | National Geographic


this is the season of the gray whale

this is the season of the gray whale California gray whales make one of the

California gray whales make one of the

California gray whales make one of the longest migrations on the planet often

longest migrations on the planet often

longest migrations on the planet often traveling up to 6,000 miles between

traveling up to 6,000 miles between

traveling up to 6,000 miles between Mexico and the Arctic the first wave is

Mexico and the Arctic the first wave is

Mexico and the Arctic the first wave is made up of adults more than 30 tons of

made up of adults more than 30 tons of

made up of adults more than 30 tons of seagoing force killer whales have been

seagoing force killer whales have been

seagoing force killer whales have been known to attack these leviathans but

known to attack these leviathans but

known to attack these leviathans but they do so very rarely it’s the next

they do so very rarely it’s the next

they do so very rarely it’s the next wave they’re waiting for coming up the

wave they’re waiting for coming up the

wave they’re waiting for coming up the coast of Mexico are the mothers and

coast of Mexico are the mothers and

coast of Mexico are the mothers and their newborn calves the greys ever

their newborn calves the greys ever

their newborn calves the greys ever weary of their only predator tend to hug

weary of their only predator tend to hug

weary of their only predator tend to hug the coastline but there is one stretch

the coastline but there is one stretch

the coastline but there is one stretch in their epic migration where the gray

in their epic migration where the gray

in their epic migration where the gray whales cannot hide the broad expanse of

whales cannot hide the broad expanse of

whales cannot hide the broad expanse of Monterey Bay to get across the Grays

Monterey Bay to get across the Grays

Monterey Bay to get across the Grays must pass above an underwater chasm the

must pass above an underwater chasm the

must pass above an underwater chasm the size of the Grand Canyon now they are

size of the Grand Canyon now they are

size of the Grand Canyon now they are swimming across open water a mile deep

swimming across open water a mile deep

swimming across open water a mile deep the killer whales can hear every sound

the killer whales can hear every sound

the killer whales can hear every sound they make

they make

they make it’s a dangerous passage for mother and

it’s a dangerous passage for mother and

it’s a dangerous passage for mother and calf marine biologist Nancy Black has

calf marine biologist Nancy Black has

calf marine biologist Nancy Black has seen what can happen a few years ago we

seen what can happen a few years ago we

seen what can happen a few years ago we found killer whales closing in on a gray

found killer whales closing in on a gray

found killer whales closing in on a gray well female and calf I was really

well female and calf I was really

well female and calf I was really excited because it was one of the few

excited because it was one of the few

excited because it was one of the few times I’ve had an opportunity to see

times I’ve had an opportunity to see

times I’ve had an opportunity to see killer whales hunting together as a team

killer whales hunting together as a team

killer whales hunting together as a team it’s very rare because Monterey is one

it’s very rare because Monterey is one

it’s very rare because Monterey is one of the few places in the world we have

of the few places in the world we have

of the few places in the world we have an opportunity to see something like

an opportunity to see something like

an opportunity to see something like this

this

this as the attack began nancy recognized the

as the attack began nancy recognized the

as the attack began nancy recognized the members of a transient pod

members of a transient pod

members of a transient pod joined by other transient groups they

joined by other transient groups they

joined by other transient groups they encircled the gray whales blocking their

encircled the gray whales blocking their

encircled the gray whales blocking their escape

then they began to RAM the calf to

then they began to RAM the calf to separate it from the female the calf

separate it from the female the calf

separate it from the female the calf struggled to climb on its mother’s back

struggled to climb on its mother’s back

struggled to climb on its mother’s back desperate to get out of the water

but it couldn’t stay on for long to help

but it couldn’t stay on for long to help her calf the mother turned belly up

her calf the mother turned belly up

her calf the mother turned belly up but the killers renew their attack

but the killers renew their attack

but the killers renew their attack killer Wells spent a lot of time bashing

killer Wells spent a lot of time bashing

killer Wells spent a lot of time bashing and they rammed and hit the gray whale

and they rammed and hit the gray whale

and they rammed and hit the gray whale calf they look like they were causing a

calf they look like they were causing a

calf they look like they were causing a lots of internal injury to the calf when

lots of internal injury to the calf when

lots of internal injury to the calf when they did that as the prey tired

they did that as the prey tired

they did that as the prey tired one female transient made a dangerous

one female transient made a dangerous

one female transient made a dangerous maneuver moving him alone against an

maneuver moving him alone against an

maneuver moving him alone against an animal six times her size she tried to

animal six times her size she tried to

animal six times her size she tried to separate the calf from its 30 ton mother

the rest of the path joined in to shove

the rest of the path joined in to shove the calf away from its mother

then they began to push it below the

then they began to push it below the surface

surface

surface if they could keep it down its lungs

if they could keep it down its lungs

if they could keep it down its lungs would fill with water but the mother

would fill with water but the mother

would fill with water but the mother would not give up on her path the cap

would not give up on her path the cap

would not give up on her path the cap spent a lot of time rolling on top of

spent a lot of time rolling on top of

spent a lot of time rolling on top of its mother and alongside of its mother –

its mother and alongside of its mother –

its mother and alongside of its mother – and that rolling behavior seemed to

and that rolling behavior seemed to

and that rolling behavior seemed to prevent the killer whales from getting

prevent the killer whales from getting

prevent the killer whales from getting in the middle between the mother and

in the middle between the mother and

in the middle between the mother and calf in the end it was the killer whales

calf in the end it was the killer whales

calf in the end it was the killer whales that gave up two hours after the attack

that gave up two hours after the attack

that gave up two hours after the attack began mother and calf escaped and the

began mother and calf escaped and the

began mother and calf escaped and the killer whales went hungry

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